Day 3 - 339 -- Feeling Nostalgic

Today was an emotional day. Between shoveling the bit of snow from last evening and finishing the laundry, I went to the Santa parade. This was postponed from last week due to the nor'easter. The parade was short, but fun. I felt a bit teary watching the kids enjoying the floats and gathering the candy handouts. A lot of cuteness was involved.  This afternoon I attended the Fall convocation. This is smaller than the main one in May. Several special awards were presented. The honourary doctorate was conferred on the director of the Men of the Deeps (for 50 years). An outreach award went to a faculty member who has been integral to the birth and growth of the service learning program on campus, while the community partner award went to the local L'Arche association. Degrees for graduate programs and many undergraduate degrees were received along with the wonderful diploma programs in adult education, ministry, and development leadership. The latter students have been working through the Coady International Institute since late Spring. These international leaders came from Africa, south Asia, southeast Asia, east Asia and the Caribbean -- a true gift to our campus. Again, some emotional moments there, too.

I love the ceremony of convocation and the sea of happy faces -- students, family, friends, faculty. Dressing in bright academic regalia is fun -- a visit back to medieval days. This brings memories of my own trips across the stage, which seemed a solid form of closure after all the hard work. Recalling the feelings of accomplishment mixed with trepidation about the future, and sadness to be leaving a home of sorts filled with many friends and familiar places. Celebrations with family and friends were special.

Maybe, in both cases today, the emotions were a type of nostalgia. So -- a song that captures a type of nostalgia mixed with sadness -- there could only be one for this today. The singers are amazing in this video -- one a baritone late in his career, the other a tenor early on in his. Both have left us now, but thankfully we have audio and video of each of their separate careers and of this one shining moment when they were uncharacteristically paired for this fantastic duet -- as part of a holiday special that was watched every year in my household growing up. Enjoy!

The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth -- Bing Crosby & David Bowie